With or Without You
by UnbowedUnbroken
Summary: For the past two months, Link has been living a depression-filled life in NYC. However, after a new neighbor movies in, his life begins to look up. ZeldaxLink. Rated T for safety.
1. A Chance Encounter

**A/N: Hey all. I decided to take a break from Thunder's Foretelling and write another piece. I will probably alternate between the two. If you haven't read TF yet, I would appreciate it. I don't know how long this story is going to be, but if it's received well, I'll probably work on it as much as TF. Anyway, enjoy.**

With a gasp, Link awoke from his nightmare strewn sleep to hear Iron Maiden's "The Trooper" blaring loudly from his iHome, which was on the top of his dresser on the other side of the room. He lay in the sweat-soaked sheets of his full-sized bed for several minutes, watching the fan spin lazily overhead and trying to get his breathing under control.

It was the same nightmare that haunted his sleep each and every night. He never remembered what it was, except that he always had it, and always left him with a sense of loneliness and despair, knowing that there would be no one beside him to offer comfort.

The twenty-one year old sighed bitterly as he swung his legs over the side and sat at the edge of the bed. It had been two months since he had moved to New York straight from college, and the only job he could get was at some museum working night security shifts on the weekends. It was a boring job, and the pay was only slightly above minimum wage, but it was all he had available.

He smiled in bleak amusement. Five minutes out of bed and already depressed. It was a personal record for him. Usually, it took six minutes to get this depressed. He brushed the golden locks out from in front of his blood shot, cobalt eyes, and sighed once more.

He rose from his seat on the bed and crossed the brown shag of a carpet to the bathroom door before stepping inside. He quickly stripped out of his flannel pajama bottoms and white Hanes t-shirt and stepped into the shower.

He turned the shower to its hottest setting and leaned his head against the tile of the shower, letting the hot water flow over his broad shoulders and down his back.

_What am I going to do today?_ he wondered silently to himself.

He had just gotten paid, and he had taken care of all the bills for this month, including groceries. He had bought enough TV dinners to last him for the rest of September, as well as for some of October. But he had most of what he wanted, and he wasn't the type to spend money just for the sake of spending money.

He began to lather his hair, still lost in his thoughts. He didn't have any money for gas, so going out somewhere was out of the question. His friend Sheik was still out of town, visiting his grandmother in Albany. His ex, Saria, with whom he was still friends, was having a romantic weekend with her boyfriend, Mido, in Vermont somewhere. He had other people he could hang out with, he supposed, but most of them were either extremely annoying or had a crush on him, which made him uncomfortable. He never liked hurting people's feelings, but it still felt odd to have someone stare at you all the time.

He rinsed out his hair and rather forlornly concluded that it was going to be another lonely evening at the bachelor pad watching TV and listening to heavy metal. What fun.

He turned off the shower and toweled off before going back to his bedroom. After much thought, he finally decided on dark Levi's and a black Disturbed t-shirt. He dressed quickly and walked to the kitchen.

Looking into the fridge, he winced. The only thing there was half a gallon of expired milk and some muffins he had baked a week ago. He took the muffins out of the fridge and noted that a few were missing.

_Ilia must've gotten into them again_, he thought wryly to himself as he placed a blueberry one on a plate to warm up. His friend Ilia, one of those who had a crush on him, absolutely loved his muffins and stole them whenever she had the chance.

"Whatever keeps her off drugs," he said to the empty apartment. He took the silence as a sign of agreement.

Thoughts of Ilia made him feel somewhat better. She was kind of dumb, but her happy and carefree attitude was infectious. He even hummed " Down With The Sickness" as he munched on his muffin, which he would never do normally. He loved music, but he couldn't carry a tune in a airtight canister. So, for the sake of others, he usually never indulged his musical urges.

After breakfast, Link wandered into the living room and plopped onto the second-hand black couch and turned on the TV. He flipped through the channels, bypassing anything that had to do with politics, the news, or Brittney Spears. He eventually settled on a Comedy Central stand-up special and spent the next two hours laughing his ass off at the wit and wisdom of Carlos Mencia.

As the day dragged on, the loneliness eventually drove Link back to his depression. He wandered throughout the apartment, which didn't take him long, considering it only had three rooms. That didn't stop him from wandering, though.

He eventually decided that maybe some fresh air and a walk around the block could help. As he stepped out his front door, something odd made him stop in his tracks. The door to the apartment across from his own, the apartment that hadn't been rented since he had arrived in New York, was open.

He was about to enter to investigate when the voice of a woman stopped him.

" Excuse me, sir, may I help you?" the voice said.

" I'm sorry, it was just-" he began as he turned around to face the owner of the voice. What he saw stunned him. She was about five feet, six inches tall and had lovely blonde hair that fell to the middle of her back. She was dressed in a pink, ruffled top with khaki pants, and carried a large suitcase.

She was also the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen. Her face was heart-shaped with delicate, pale skin with full lips and the most brilliant violet eyes he had ever seen. She arched an eyebrow at his sudden silence.

" You were saying?" she urged him gently.

" Sorry," he apologized, "Anyway, it's been awhile since this apartment's been rented, so I was just checking to see what was going on."

" Well, you found out," she said, smiling a beautiful white smile at him, " I'm moving in. Do you live nearby?"

" Yep," he said, smiling back at her, his depression mysteriously evaporated, " Just right across the hall. Do you need help moving?"

" I don't know," she said shyly, " I wouldn't want to bother you."

" It's no bother," he assured her.

" Would you mind, then? I don't know anybody here in New York, and I had a lot of furniture that would have been difficult for me to move by myself. The movers brought it in, but they just randomly placed them."

" I would love to help," he said.

" I feel bad, though," she said, " I don't want to take advantage of your kindness."

" Well, if it bothers you, having dinner with you sometime would be ample payment," he said, smiling easily. She smiled back.

" I'm sorry, but I never caught your name," she said gently.

" Oh," he said, embarrassed. He stuck out his hand, " The name's Link." She took his hand lightly in one of hers.

" Link," she said, " It would be a pleasure having dinner with you. Oh, by the way, my name is Zelda."

**A/N: Wow, that was better than I thought it would be. Anyway, R&R.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything besides my ideas. Sorry.**


	2. The Journey

**Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda, or New York City. That'd be cool if I did. Oh, well.**

Link paced nervously in the hallway outside his apartment, beads of perspiration sliding down his face and onto the scarcely carpeted floor. Every five minutes he looked at his faux silver watch that he bought from Wal-Mart for five bucks, and the hands never seemed to move. Link blinked and realized that they actually _hadn't_ moved.

"Curse you, Wal-Mart," he said, " Thou hast failed me yet again."

"Uh, Link," Zelda said, stepping outside her door, "Are you okay?" She must've been a light stepper. He hadn't even heard her open the door.

He sighed. His sense of stupidity reared its fat, ugly head yet again. "Yeah, I'm fine. Sometimes I just slip into archaic speech for the variety. Speaking normally is so last century." She laughed a beautiful laugh that echoed of chimes.

"Link, you're silly," she said, still giggling, " Nice outfit, by the way. Very dashing."

He looked down at his button-down white, silk shirt, untucked of course, and his baggy, cargo pants.

"Yes, I know. I'm just a dashing sort of guy, I suppose. Nice outfit to you as well." She beamed at him.

"You really think so?" she said, pleased. She was wearing a pink top and a light, white skirt.

"Absolutely," he said honestly, " Are you ready to go?"

"Yup," she said, turning back to lock her door, " Whenever you are."

They walked to the elevator in companionable silence and Link used the silence as an opportunity to reflect on the events of the past week. After that Monday, they hadn't really gotten the chance to learn more about each other. As he helped her get settled in her new apartment, she told him a little about herself. Her name was Zelda Harkinian, and she had moved to New York from Boston. Her family was British, hence the unusual last name, but she had been born and raised in America. She had just graduated from college with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and was trying to find a job while working on her Master's. Her father was in business, she hadn't really said what exactly he did, and her mother had died several years ago.

She said that her mother's death had caused him to start spending all of his time working, and never paid much attention to her after that. It was a sad story, but he knew what she was going through. He had been raised by his widowed mother after his dad had eaten his Glock, after all.

The elevator's doors sliding open snapped him out of his thoughts, and the two of them walked through the lobby and into the parking garage, eventually winding up at his oddly unsilver, '00 Silverado. The paint had worn to a dull grey color, and he didn't have enough money to get it repainted. Hell, he'd had to go several days without any groceries besides TV dinners just to have enough money to take Zelda out to eat somewhere nice.

"Well, hop in," he told her, unlocking the door. She obliged him by doing so, and before long, they were out on the street of New York, heading towards their destination.

"So, where are we eating at?" she asked, shifting around in her seat, getting more comfortable. He smiled slightly in silent pride.

"Olive Garden." She sighed forlornly.

"There goes my diet," she muttered, "I love Olive Garden, and I can never help myself there. It's all so good!" She said the last in an almost dreamy tone.

"So, you like Italian food?" he said, looking at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Are you kidding?" she exclaimed, "It's my favorite!" She practically glowed in anticipation, which brought a smile to his face. "Of course," she continued, "I don't get the chance to eat there much, mainly because I can't afford it at the moment."

"I hear you," Link agreed, stopping at a traffic light that was glowing a sullen red. She turned her head to look at him.

"So, what are you doing for a job right now?" she asked.

"Uh," he said, lightly pressing on the gas when the light changed colors, "I'm a, uh, security guard right now." She nodded to herself absently, he thought, processing this information.

"What did you major in?" she questioned, leaning over to turn the radio, which was currently screaming Metallica's "Master of Puppets", down.

"History," he said, switching lanes as they entered the interstate, "Specifically, pre-Roman Europe and the Celtic people. I wanted to be a professor at the University here, but they didn't have a position open. So, I took what I could find."

"How did you get a Master's so quickly?" she asked, amazed.

"Advanced courses," he said, embarrassed, "Most of what they taught in the standard classes I already knew, so they just put me on an accelerated program. I was working on earning my doctorate when my scholarships ran out. I only had a few weeks left in the courses."

"Wow," she breathed, "That has to suck."

"Moderately," he agreed lightly.

"What are you going to do?" she asked, watching him intently through the darkness of the cab.

"Survive," he said shortly, pulling onto an exit and taking a right, "I really don't have any plans beyond that at this point." There was a silence in the truck for several minutes.

"Well, do you know a lot of people here?" she said, changing the subject, much to his relief.

"A few," he admitted, trying to find the Olive Garden, "I have a few really good friends, and several acquaintances. Have you had the chance to meet anybody yet?"

"Just you," she said quietly. She laughed suddenly with a tinge of bitterness. "Haven't had time to meet anybody. Been searching for a job all week."

"I know how that goes," he said sympathetically, spotting the Olive Garden in the distance, "How's that been going?"

"Horrible," she said, " The only job that seems to be available for a woman working her way through college is exotic dancer." Link wisely decided not to comment on that.

"Here we are," he said, forcing cheerfulness into his voice, "I can smell the food all the way from here."

"Link," Zelda said quietly as they parked in a parking spot that seemed several miles from the restaurant. He forgot how crowded Olive Garden could be around dinner time.

"Yes, Zelda?" he said, still looking at the distance in dismay.

"I want to thank you for dinner tonight," she said in a small voice, "It was really kind of you to invite me."

"Hey, now," he said, smiling at her, "You're the one doing me the favor. It would've been another night with only myself to keep me company. And to be honest with you, I'm not that nice of a person to hang around too much. You saved me from another evening by myself." She smiled back at him, that gorgeous smile that multiplied her already incredible beauty hundredfold.

"I don't know about that," she said, "You've been delightful company so far."

"I'm on my best behavior," he laughed, "Just wait till you get to know me a little better." Her smile got bigger.

"I can hardly wait," she said, laughing along with him.

"Come on," he said, nudging her playfully with his elbow, "It's going to take half the night to walk to the restaurant, it looks like. We might as well get started."

"Okay," she agreed as they exited the truck and walked into the night.

**A/N: Okay, I'm going to end this chapter here. The dinner is going to be its own chapter. There's going to be a tad bit of conflict in the next chapter, so make sure you read. Anyway, R&R, and good night.**


	3. A Pleasant Dinner

**A/N: Okay, this story is probably going to wander around a lot. I can tell just by reviewing my notes on it. But, as long as its entertaining, it really doesn't matter, does it?**

**Disclaimer: Own Zelda, I do not.**

Zelda watched Links' eye twitch in concealed amusement. They had been waiting for the past half hour for a table, and Link did not appear to be a patient man. At least where food was concerned.

She didn't mind the wait. She was just glad to be out of her scarcely furnished apartment, and Link was pleasant company, so she was content. Link sighed, and shifted around on the brown leather couch on which they were both seated.

"They must be making the table," he muttered darkly. She smiled and patted his shoulder.

"It's okay, Link, they'll seat us any minute now." she said with absolute certainty. Sure, enough, the moment those words left her mouth, the little device in his hands started flashing and humming. He just looked at her and shook his head before rising and offering his hand to her. She lifted an eyebrow at him.

"Old fashioned, aren't you?" she said, taking his hand and standing easily, before releasing it and smoothing her skirt.

"Whatever gavest thou that idea?" he said, smiling at her. She rolled her eyes in rogue amusement.

"I thanketh thee, good sir, for thy most chivalrous assistance," she replied. He just winked at her, before leading her to the bored-looking hostess.

"Just the two of you?" she said in a monotone voice.

"No, the rest of the freak show should be coming shortly," Link said, "I'm the strongman and she's the bearded lady."

"Funny, sir," the hostess said in the same bland tone, "Please, follow me." Zelda elbowed Link in the ribs.

"Freak show?" she muttered, "Bearded lady?"

"I'm working on the whole witty comeback thing," he said glibly, "Don't worry, I'll work on it."

"Please do," she said in a mock lofty tone. He just smiled at her and kept following the dark-haired hostess. After traversing the maze of chairs, table, and children running around, they eventually arrived in a booth at the back of the restaurant.

"Your waitress will be with you shortly," the hostess said as Link and Zelda seated themselves, "Oh, and sir?"

"Yes?" Link said absently, scanning over the menu that she had just handed him.

"You really need to work on the banter thing," she said as she vanished into the chaos of the restaurant. Zelda barely swallowed a giggle as he stared at the area in which the woman had vanished.

"That was cold-blooded," he said, shock still in his voice.

"Funny though," Zelda said, placing the green cloth napkin in her lap.

"I thought you were on my side," he said, his voice now amused, doing the same with his napkin.

"In the face of bad jokes, I have a duty to help my fellow woman. Universal sisterhood, you know," she said in a serious tone.

"I just can't win," he laughed.

"Nope," she agreed.

As they faded back into comfortable silence, she took the opportunity to study Link more carefully. His was a handsome face, although grown hard from suffering and betrayal. The mark left by many sleepless nights was plainly visible on his face, and his cobalt eyes were dim with unrelenting sadness. No matter how light his manner could be, or how amusing his antics, there was one, undeniable fact that remained. His was the face of a truly unhappy man.

"So," she said, "Tell me a little about yourself."

"There's really not much to say," he said, "I'm a fan of heavy metal. I love comedy and the older movies. I'm somewhat of a romantic, I suppose."

"Really?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said, embarrassed, "It's just something I enjoy doing, you know? I used to write poetry and send flowers and stuff like that. But, it seems that nowadays, that's more stalkerish than romantic."

"I never had any poetry written about me," she sighed enviously.

"Well, if you'd like, I could write you some, and you could pretend it was from someone else or something like that," he said with humor coloring his voice. She smiled warmly at him.

"I would like that," she said honestly. About that time, a peppy looking waitress with curling red hair came to their table.

"Hey! How are you this evening? My name is Deb, and I'll be your server this evening. What can I start you out with?" she asked, looking at Link.

"Water, please," he said.

"Me too," Zelda said with a nod.

"Have you guys decided what you would like this evening?" the waitress asked. Link looked at Zelda questioningly, who nodded an affirmative.

"I have," Link said, "I would like the fettuccine alfredo."

"Me too," Zelda said, handing the menu to Deb.

"Would you like the salad?"

"No, thanks," they both said in unison, before looking at each other in shock.

"Okay," Deb said slowly, "Your food will be out shortly." With that, she scurried back the way she had come. Link and Zelda sat in an awkward silence until Zelda finally broke the ice.

"So, what type of metal do you like?" she said, having no idea what persuaded her to ask that question. She, personally, could not tell the difference between most of it. Anyway, the question had its intended effect. Link seemed to relax somewhat.

"I like most of it," he said thoughtfully, stroking his chin, "I try and avoid the real satanic stuff, though."

"Particular reason?" she said, sensing the answer would be very important.

"My upbringing, I suppose," he sighed, "I was raised Catholic, but I eventually turned away from it. I'm just kinda floating around now. It's not that I don't believe, it's just that I'm still developing my beliefs about it, and I think that a church would just try and mold me to what they believe, you know?"

"I completely understand," she said, remembering her own Baptist upbringing.

"I just think that the Church got it wrong," he continued, "It became an institution instead of a group of people who believe the same thing. That's the sort of thing that causes people to reject it. Anyway, let's talk about something else. Talking religion makes me uncomfortable. So, tell me about yourself. You really haven't said much."

"There really isn't much to say," she said, echoing Link's earlier words. She was silent for a moment and Deb quietly set their drinks on the table.

"You want my lemon?" he said, fishing it out with his spoon, "Between you and me, I can't stand the things." She stared at him in mock shock.

"You don't like lemons?" she said, faking a gasp, "I knew there was something sinister about you!"

"I'm a bad, bad man," he agreed lightly, "You want it or not?"

"Well, I suppose," she laughed as Link dumped it in her water.

"Anyway, you were saying?" he asked, lifting his glass to his lips.

"Oh, I was just saying…Link, what's wrong?" she said as Link's eyes looked behind her and suddenly grew hard.

"Dragmire," he said under his breath, "Just be still, I'll handle it." He said the last in a firm but gentle tone.

"O-Okay," she said, somewhat frightened.

The man who stepped next to their table was excessively groomed, to say the least. His crimson hair didn't seem to have a hair out of place, and his olive-tinged skin didn't look to have any imperfections to it. His onyx colored suit was immaculate and obviously tailor made.

"Link Williams," the man said in a deep voice, "A pleasure to see you again."

"Dragmire," Link said emotionlessly. The man smiled pleasantly.

"Now, now, my boy," the man said, "That's no way to speak to a dear friend is it? Speaking of dear friends, it seems you have a new one."

"You leave her out of this," Link said with quiet intensity, "This is between you and me." The man met his gaze calmly.

"We'll see," the man said, just as quietly, "I hope you enjoy your dinner." "Ma'am," he said with a nod to Zelda, " I will see you later, Link."

Link sighed with tiredness as soon as the man vanished, his tensed body unwinding.

"Link, who was that man?" Zelda asked him in a frightened tone.

"Let's just say that he's a man with connections and lots of people with little friends." After that, he would not say anything else about him.

They sat in troubled silence until the food arrived. Despite the fact that she was ravenous when they first arrived, she only picked at her food.

Link paid and they walked out to the truck in the calm darkness. They were completely silent as they made the trip back to the apartment building. They rode in the elevator and walked down the hallway in the same silence.

"Zelda," Link said as she placed the key in the lock, "I am so sorry about all of this."

She did not reply as she closed the door on him and turned the dead-bolt.


	4. Trust and Regret

**A/N: Okay, I apologize for the vague references. It'll all be explained in this chapter, I think. Oh, and a note on the whole religion thing. The thing about writing a Zelda fanfic set in the modern world is how much of the elements you want to keep. Obviously, the goddesses are a big part of the Zelda story, but its just kind of hard in a modern setting, so I just went with the religions of this world. If this offends you, well, don't read then. I have no idea why you would be offended by this, considering this is fiction, but if you are, sorry. It won't have a lot to do with the story, but it will explain some of the actions of the characters.**

Link sat in the darkness of his apartment in absolute silence, the only light emanating from the noisy streets of the Big Apple. He stared at the Glock that peacefully rested on the glass coffee table in front of his worn couch, and felt the emotion rise up within him.

It was the same police standard Glock with which his father had committed suicide, and that his fellow officers had never confiscated. Link never knew why they had never taken the thing up. Maybe they thought that a woman and her six year old son needed the protection.

He sighed with regret. He was not angry at his father for not being there, not really. He definitely could understand the sort of circumstances that life could throw that could leave a man completely overwhelmed and without hope. He and Link were the same with that. However, unlike his father, he had not given up.

The main reason for his unwillingness to give up the chance for life was that gun setting right in front of him. He used the gun for protection, that was true, but its true purpose ran much deeper than that. Whenever Link was on the verge of doing something rash or anything else like that, he always took out the gun and made himself consider every consequence to his actions.

The gun served as a remembrance, not to mention that it had probably saved his life multiple times.

He sighed again as the memories from the past day replayed itself over and over again. He had never wanted to hurt Zelda, especially with the past he had hoped had been buried and lost forever. He had sent her flowers, not really knowing what else to do, but she had never acknowledged them, or him.

All because of Dragmire. The bastard. Link leaned his head back and closed his eyes as the memories washed over him like a shower pouring out flame, instead of water.

_Link's heart drummed his fear as he made his way into Dragmire's office. The men with the AK-47s fluidly moved to block the door as he entered, and he heard the click of a safety being turned off. Despite his fear, he managed to look at the man who ruled his life with an iron fist in the eye. Dragmire smiled a tiger's smile._

"_Good evening, Mr. Williams," he said in a pleasant voice. He gestured toward the plush leather seat in front of his desk of finest mahogany, "Let's talk business." Link obliged him reluctantly, sinking into the gentle embrace of the chair slowly. "Have you taken care of this shipments?" he continued, lifting a bottle of wine from his desk and filling a glass, "Would you care for some?"_

"_No thank you, Mr. Dragmire," Link said, trying to keep the hate out of his voice, "In reference to the shipments, everything went according to plan." Dragmire smiled his cool, predator's smile again._

"_Excellent, my boy, very good," he said, taking a drink from his glass, "You will find the money for the job already in your account. You made quite a hefty sum this time, if I may say. But that's perfectly fine. I pay for only the best, and, my boy, you are the best. You could go quite far if you decided you wanted to."_

"_You and I both know why I do what I do," Link said coldly. Dragmire was silent for a moment._

"_Indeed," he said, inclining his head somewhat, "Your precious mother, I believe." Apparently, he took Link's silence for agreement. "You know, Link, we take care of our own. If you'll stay and continue to work for me, I'll make sure that she's is taken care of. You will never have to worry about her well-being."_

_Link slumped in his chair. "You and I both know that I can't do that," he said tiredly. Dragmire nodded slightly._

"_Indeed," he said just as quietly, "Rest assured, Link, that I will never threaten your mother, out of the great personal respect I have for her and you both. She will be safe from me. However," he said, his voice now growing much harsher, "you may run from me, but you will never be able to escape. You will belong to me and my family until the day you die. When I have need of you again, I will find you. Now, get out of my sight."_

Link was snapped out his reverie by a light tap at the door. Walking slowly, he went to the door and opened it, revealing Zelda standing on the other side.

"Hey, Link," she said, her voice and stance both uncertain.

"Hey," he said quietly in a tired tone.

"I just wanted to apologize for how I acted last night. It was wrong of me to act like that, and I am deeply sorry." She sounded genuinely sincere in her apology, but Link had learned a long time ago how false most people really were. Still, though, it wouldn't hurt to forgive her.

"It's okay," he said, trying to act a little more cheerful and not really doing a good job of it, "Would you like to come in? I was just about to make a pot of coffee."

"Okay," she said, much to his surprise. He didn't think that she had wanted anything else to do with him.

"Well, forgive the mess," he said, mainly just to cover the shock as he led her in, flipping lights on as he went, "It's been a long time since I've had a visitor, and I'm not really that neat of a person."

"It's okay, Link," she laughed, and for the first time, Link felt the corners of his mouth tug up into a smile. When she saw the gun lying on the coffee table, though, her face went pale.

"Sorry about that," he said, embarrassed and half frightened that she would run out the apartment screaming. He took it and stowed it in its usual compartment in the kitchen. She stood there, uncertainty radiating from her again.

"Were you, uh, expecting trouble?" she stammered.

"No, no it's nothing like that!" he exclaimed, trying to calm her down.

"Then?" she said, unable to finish the question, gesturing at the table.

"I was just cleaning it," he lied, "I wasn't really expecting company, so I didn't bother putting it up, yet." He really didn't feel like explaining the real reason he had set the gun out.

"Oh," she said, the uncertainty quickly fading. She laughed suddenly. "I'm sorry about freaking out like that," she apologized.

"Don't worry about it," he said, pulling himself back together, "Just sit down and put your feet up. Mi casa es su casa, yah?"

"Whatever you say," she replied pleasantly. Link just smiled to himself as he busied himself preparing the coffee. After the pot was filled, he poured it into a couple of cups.

"Hey, Zelda, how do you like your coffee?" Link asked.

"Two sugars and some cream," she replied.

"Hey, that's how I like mine, too," Link said as he carried the cups into the living room. She smiled her thanks at him as she took the coffee and inhaled deeply. She sipped it and blinked in surprise.

"What? Is something wrong with it?" Link asked, sitting next to her.

"No, no," she said quickly, "It's really good. I was just kinda surprised, that's all."

"I'm pretty good with coffee," he said modestly.

"I'll say," she said, taking another, larger sip.

They sat in comfortable silence for a little while. Even though Zelda seemed relaxed, Link could practically see the gears turning in her head.

"Zelda, what is it?" he asked sadly, setting his cup on a coaster, "I can tell that there's something you want to say. Please, just say it. You won't offend me."

"How did you know that man?" she asked immediately.

"Are you sure you want to know?" he sighed, "You'll probably never want to be around me again."

"Could be," she agreed, "But, as it stands now, if you don't tell me, I'll never be able to trust you again." He sat in contemplative silence for several moments.

"When I was a child," he started, "My father was a cop. Damned good one, too. He actually cared about people and did his best to help them. However, all the unrelenting violence and crime eventually got to him. He started drinking heavily and before too long, pow," he said, using his fingers to mimic a gun to the side of his head. She didn't say anything, but a sudden sympathy flooded her eyes. "My mother was a housewife; she never went to college, and she didn't really have a way to support us after that. She started working in this restaurant owned by one Ganondorf Dragmire, that man we met in the Olive Garden."

"I would have to stay at the restaurant when she worked when I was younger, and Dragmire would talk to me. About his various businesses and operations, and how he could always use a good helping hand. I was young at the time, and very naïve, so I quickly agreed to work for him when I turned a proper age."

"My first job was to make a delivery for him. Easy, I thought. He gave me weird directions, sometimes detouring for miles, and told me to avoid any police I saw. While I'll admit that it seems odd now, at the time I was just grateful that I would have the opportunity to be able to help my mother support the two of us."

"You don't mean-" she began.

"On that day, even if I didn't know it, I became a dealer for Dragmire and his family. By the time I realized what was going on, I couldn't back out. My fate was sealed. He owned me."

"Link," she said softly. He didn't realize tears had been sliding down his face until Zelda's finger tips lightly brushed them away.

"And, now, I'm just trying to make up for my past mistakes," he said quietly. Zelda took the hand she had been brushing tears away with and gently cupped his chin, forcing him to look her in the eyes.

"That's all anyone of us can ever do," she told him gently. He smiled slightly at her.

"You know something?" he asked, "For some reason, it seems like you bring out the best in me. Usually by this time I would be bawling my eyes out in pure despair. But, you make me feel better, for some weird reason."

"I feel the same way," she said honestly, "Even though I've only known you a week."

"Sometimes that's all the time needed," he said wisely.

"Yep, that's true," she agreed, "Well, I think I'd better leave. It's starting to get late, and I don't want to keep you up." She rose, taking the coffee with her. "Do you mind?" she asked, "It's _really_ good coffee."

"Of course," he said, escorting her to the door. To his surprise, she wrapped her arms around him in a hug in the doorway.

"Good night, Link," she whispered, "I'll see you tomorrow." With that, she hurriedly disengaged her arms and zoomed back over to her apartment.

As Link closed the door in thoughtful dismay, he concluded with a smile that it seemed that life was about to look up.

_Except for Dragmire,_ a cynical voice whispered in his head. He wouldn't even let that affect him as he walked into his bedroom, unaware that this sleep was going to be his first nightmare free one in many years.

**A/N: I really didn't like the ending too much. Oh, well. It will do. Hey, I wrote this is an hour, get off my back. Anyway, R&R.**


	5. Dreams, Omens, and Ducky Boxers

**A/N: Dang, I really need to start getting on the ball with my stories. Anyway, really sorry for the long update. I have no idea why it's taken me this long to get writing. By the way, there's a poll on my profile, and it's extremely important that you vote on it. I need your opinion about it. Anyway, enjoy and vote.**

_He was in a hot tub, the bubbles eagerly frothing on the water and popping joyfully. The constant stream of scalding water from the many jets of the luxury tub created a sense of many spidery fingers rubbing all the aches and stresses from his tense body. He sighed and sank deeper into the water, only the top half of his face showing. He breathed in deeply, the suds tickling his nose as he inhaled. The stress of his past slowly unwound until all that remained was relaxed contentment._

"_Hey," Zelda's voice quietly said from behind him. Link quietly whispered a prayer of thanks that he had trunks on. Secure in that knowledge, he raised his head from the water and half-turned it._

"_Hey," he replied, stretching a bit, "What's up?"_

"_Nothing much," she said, " I saw you here, and decided that you might like some company." Link briefly frowned as he tried to figure out where 'here' was exactly, but ultimately concluded that it did not matter in the slightest._

"_Feel free," he said, motioning across from him. She made her way to the other side and slid in. Perhaps it was improper of him to think such things, but he noticed that she filled out the pale blue bikini she wore very nicely._

_She settled in with a pleased sigh, and for a minute, they just sat there, enjoying the tub. Link closed his eyes again and leaned his head back against the rim, feeling the jets massage his body._

"_I love these things," she said blissfully, "There very relaxing after a hard day."_

"_I hear you," Link said, "It seems I've been having quite a few days like that lately."_

"_Tell me about it," she urged gently._

"_It's nothing really," he said uncomfortably, "My boss has been trying to get me to pull more hours for no additional pay, not to mention Dragmire being back." He was too preoccupied to notice one of Zelda's delicate hands moving to the back of his neck. She stroked her thumb over the skin there, and he yelped in surprise._

"_Wha-?" he began, when a gentle squeeze cut him off._

"_Don't speak," she said, her voice as gentle as her hand. She leaned her face closer until he could feel her breath glide over his face._

"_Zelda," he said. She opened her mouth slightly to speak._

"_The bugle sounds the charge begins!" she started shrieking, "But on this battlefield no one wins!"_

Swearing, Link awoke from his dream to hear "The Trooper" blaring over the miniature speakers of his black iHome, which was conveniently placed on the other side of the room on top of his cherry wood dresser, making him have to get his ass out of bed to turn it off.

"Dammit," he growled under his breath, "I was actually enjoying that too."

He sat at the edge of the bed in his wrinkled plaid boxers and rubbed at the sleep in his eyes, absently admiring one of the riffs for "Through the Fire and the Flames" which had just started playing.

"Might as well get up," he muttered, shooting a poisonous glare at the obnoxiously bright 8:30 cheerfully glowing on his iHome's display screen. He stood up, listening to the old floorboards underneath the dirty shag carpet creak with protest.

"Get over it," he told the floorboards sternly as he walked to his bathroom. He stripped quickly and turned his shower on to a slightly colder setting than he usually put it to. For some reason, he wasn't up for a scalding hot shower this morning.

"Let's see, what to do today?" he questioned himself as he took up some Axe shower gel. The first thing he decided to do was to quit talking to himself. While he always claimed that it was usually the most intelligent conversation he got most days, other people didn't seem to believe it, even though it was true, leading them to believe that he was crazy.

In any case, he shoved that out of his mind and focused on his to-do list for today. If memory served him correctly, he had a shift tonight at the museum, so any late night activities were pretty much canned. Sheik had yet to let Link know that he had returned, and he had no idea where the hell Saria was anymore, so, aside from Zelda, his list of potential company was annoying bare. He thought that she was out job hunting again, so even she would be gone.

Apparently, though, as he walked into his living room in nothing but a clean pair of black boxers with little yellow ducks on them, she decided to prove him wrong.

"Nice boxers," she greeted him as his ears turned a slight red. To his credit, though, he didn't try and dive behind something. Instead, he crossed his arms and tilted his head, conveying a sense of puzzlement.

"Uh, how did you get in here?" he asked. He really didn't care that she had gotten in, but if she had broken in, that meant anybody else could've.

She just smiled sweetly at him and hooked her thumb behind her to point at his door. "I knocked on the door several times, and eventually just decided to try the door. I guess you didn't lock it after I left."

"I do that a lot," he said ruefully as he sat on the couch on the other side, "Sorry. Is something wrong?"

"No, not at all," she assured him before grinning impishly. "You gonna put some clothes on?"

"Nope, my house," he said loftily, "Deal."

"Well," she said in a mock huff, "You plan on going out today in your boxers?"

"I really didn't plan on leaving until my shift," he said sourly, "Nobody to hang out with."

"What about me?" she asked incredulously, "I'm here too, you know."

"I thought you were job hunting today," Link said quickly, trying to head off any unpleasantness before it began, "I thought you had already gone."

"Actually, that's sort of the reason I'm here," she said, "It's kind of lonely going out by myself, and I came over to see whether you would like to join me or not."

"I would love to come," Link said, relieved that he wouldn't spend another day in the apartment alone, "Just let me get dressed and I'll be right there."

"Great," she said, flashing him a dazzling smile, "I'll be waiting."

He departed from her presence and made his way back to his own room. He quickly pulled on a slightly wrinkled, yet still clean, black Lamb of God shirt and a pair of light-colored blue jeans, before grabbing his cheap cell phone and heading out the door.

"So, where exactly did you want to go?" Link asked as they entered the elevator. He pressed the button for the garage and the doors silently shut. Zelda stood in thoughtful silence for a minute before answering.

"I don't know," she admitted, "I was hoping for a job in a clothing store or something in the mall."

"That's gonna be hard to find," he said.

"I know," she sighed as the doors slid open, "I know I shouldn't be picky, but.."

"I completely understand," Link said sympathetically as they crossed the concrete floor to his truck, "Alright we'll give it a try."

The job hunting, more or less, was disastrous. None of the malls that they went to had any opening in a clothing store, or any other store for that matter. Each time they left a mall, he could tell that Zelda started losing more and more hope. Her shoulders slumped and her eyes filled with growing anxiety.

On the way to his truck from the last mall, he put his arm around her shoulders and she gratefully leaned on him.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I guess," she sighed as Link took his arm from around her shoulders, "It's just that it's starting to get a bit desperate. I have little money left in my savings, and the rent is due soon." Link started to say something, but stopped as an idea bulb formed over his head.

"Link, you okay?" she asked, waving her hand in front of his face.

"Yeah," he said as he unlocked the truck, "Say, have you ever considered expanding your horizons somewhat?"

"Just depends," she said, climbing in next to him, "What do you have in mind exactly?" Link carefully reversed the vehicle as he formulated his answer.

"Well, my boss is looking for a secretary," he said evenly as he changed lanes, "Would you consider going to an interview?"

"I don't know, Link," she said, "I've heard a lot about bosses and secretaries. It doesn't seem very, uh, safe to me."

"Oh, no, it's nothing like that," Link laughed, "My boss is a woman with a husband and three kids."

"I always thought that that was a man's job," she said in some surprise.

"Please," he said, still laughing, "I pity the man who tries and fight Impa. She's the toughest old bird I've ever seen. She can kick my ass all up and down Time Square with no trouble at all. But she's a sweetheart too. She cooks food for me to take home all the time. I'm sure she'll give you an interview."

"Okay," she said uncertainly, "I guess I'll give it a try." About that time, "Pain Redefined" by Disturbed started playing on the radio.

"Wow," Link said, "Don't worry, Zel, I'm sure that that's not an omen."

Somehow, Zelda doubted that.

**A/N: Sorry about this chapter. It was a bit rushed, due to how I haven't updated in a while. The next one will be the interview and will be longer and more interesting, I assure. Is it an omen? I'll never tell. Actually, I probably will next chapter. R&R people!**

**PS: This is a revision of the chapter I published earlier. Just wanted to let you know :D**


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